THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS
Anita Amirrezvani
Back Bay Books
Fiction
Hardcover: 0316065765
Paperback: 9780316065771

• About the Book
• Read an Excerpt
• Author Interview -- June 29, 2007
• Reading Group Guide

A good rug is not just something to tread upon or to keep in the warmth. A good rug can be a work of art, painstakingly crafted and beautifully executed. A good rug can also tell a story --- a story woven into the design or the story of the rug maker. When Anita Amirrezvani was 14, her father gave her a rug, and she began to imagine the lives of the people who created it. The dust jacket of her debut novel, THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS, tells us that from this experience, the book began to take shape.
 
Like a fine rug, Amirrezvani's story is tightly woven, balancing strength and delicacy. It is the tale of a 17th-century young woman, who remains unnamed, and her journey to emotional and physical autonomy, happiness and self-worth. When her father dies unexpectedly, she and her mother leave their small village for the protection of a relative in the bustling city of Isfahan. Her uncle (her father's half-brother) is a rug designer and maker for the Shah, and he knows that his niece has learned the basics of rug making as well. She is curious to see his studio and learn from him, but she and her mother become like servants in his house.
 
Still, the kindly uncle teaches her more of the craft as he sees she has a real talent and because he has no sons to whom he can pass the business off. She is even lent money to create her own rug in the hopes of selling it but rashly undoes all the knots in a moment of frustration, prompting her family to enter her into a sigheh, or temporary marriage.
 
In this union any pretense of freedom the protagonist has is shredded, at least for the reader. It is clear to us, if not immediately to her, that this is a purely sexual relationship; her family has in fact sold her virginity. Still, she clings to the hope that it may become a permanent marriage, and in order to ensure that it does, she commits herself to pleasing her wealthy, arrogant husband. This storyline has an interesting twist that sees the security of the young girl threatened once again. Eventually she learns, after enduring humiliation and loss, that she must become self-sufficient in order to survive. In this, her passion for making rugs will serve her well. She finds hope in a seemingly unlikely home and puts what she learned in her uncle's house to use in order to take care of herself, her mother and others as well.
 
Amirrezvani's heroine is headstrong, likable and sometimes frustrating as she navigates her relationships and new surroundings. The unnamed protagonist is well developed but the supporting characters less so. Still, it is easy to understand her mother's and uncle's motivation in dealing with her harshly at times. And, interestingly enough, there are no clearcut villains --- just individuals who thwart the main character’s happiness or sometimes treat her unkindly.
 
THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS brings to life early modern Iran --- its sights, sounds, tastes and society --- with clarity and respect, all the while telling an interesting and engaging story. Amirrezvani also manages to pull off the difficult task of writing a few sexually explicit scenes without completely straying into the sappy or the tawdry.
 
One of the most compelling and interesting aspects of the novel is Amirrezvani's use of stories within the story. She takes some Persian folk or fairy tales, as well as a few of her own invention, and weaves them nicely into the prose. These are stories usually told among the female characters that express some desire or fear in a poetic and culturally acceptable way. They lend a sweetness, richness and authenticity to the tale.
 
Critics and reviewers are already singing the praises of THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS, and for good reason. It is a lovely debut; a heartfelt coming-of-age tale and a historical piece that speaks to issues beyond its context. Amirrezvani’s prose is readable and her story enjoyable; the book is better than much summer fare and is surely a sign of the beginning of a solid literary career. Like the amazing rugs designed and woven by her characters, this first novel is strong and beautiful and will stand the test of time.

   --- Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman

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